revvingandwailingacrossthestreet,andinbetweencutsIcanhearthewhack,whack,whack!whack,
whack,whack!ofahammer.Ilookoutthewindowandthere’sJuli,spittingoutnailsandslammingthem
inplace.Nokidding.She’sgotnailslinedupbetweenherlipslikesteelcigarettes,andshe’sswinging
thathammerfull-arc,wayaboveherhead,drivingnailsintopicketslikethey’regoingintobutter.
For a split secondthere, I saw my head as the recipient of her hammer,cracking open like Humpty
Dumpty.Ishudderedanddroppedthecurtain,ditchedthehomework,andheadedfortheTV.
Theyhandymannedallweek.AndeverynightGranddadwouldcomeinwithrosycheeksandahuge
appetiteandcomplimentmymomonwhatagreatcookshewas.ThenSaturdayhappened.Andthelast
thingIwantedwastospendthedayathomewhilemygrandfatherchurnedupdirtandhelpedplantJuli’s
yard.Momtriedtogetmetodoourownyard,butIwouldhavefeltridiculousmicromowingourgrass
withGranddadandJulimakingrealchangesrightacrossthestreet.
SoIlockedmyselfinmyroomandcalledGarrett.Hewasn’thome,andeverybodyelseIcalledhad
stufftheyhadtodo.AndhittingupMomorDadforaridetothemoviesorthemallwashopeless.They’d
tellmeIwassupposedtobedoingtheyard.
WhatIwas,wasstuck.
AndwhatIwoundupdoing waslookingoutthestupidwindow atJuliandmygrandfather.Itwasa
totallylamethingtodo,butthat’swhatIdid.
Igotnaileddoingit,too.Bymygrandfather.Andhe,ofcourse,hadtopointmeouttoJuli,whichmade
me feel another two inches shorter. I dropped the curtain and blasted out the back door and over the
fence.Ihadtogetoutofthere.
IswearIwalkedtenmilesthatday.AndIdon’tknowwhoIwasmadderat—mygrandfather,Juli,or
me.Whatwaswrongwithme?IfIwantedtomakeituptoJuli,whydidn’tIjustgooverthereandhelp?
Whatwasstoppingme?
IwoundupatGarrett’shouse,andman,I’dneverbeensogladtoseeanyoneinmylife.Leaveitto
Garretttogetyourmindoffanythingimportant.Thatdude’sthemaster.Wewentoutbackandshothoops,
watchedthetube,andtalkedabouthittingthewaterslidesthissummer.
AndwhenIgothome,therewasJuli,sprinklingtheyard.
Shesawme,allright,butshedidn’twaveorsmileoranything.Shejustlookedaway.
NormallywhatI’ddointhatsituationismaybepretendlikeIhadn’tseenher,orgiveaquickwaveand
chargeinside.Butshe’dbeenmadatmeforwhatseemedlikeages.Shehadn’tsaidwordonetomesince
themorningoftheeggs.She’dcompletelydissedmeinmathacoupledaysbeforewhenI’dsmiledather,
tryingtotellherIwassorry.Shedidn’tsmilebackornodoranything.Shejustturnedawayandnever
lookedback.
Ievenwaitedforheroutsidetheclassroomtosaysomething,anything,aboutherfixinguptheyardand
howbadIfelt,butsheditchedmeouttheotherdoor,andafterthatanytimeIgotanywherenearher,she’d
findsomewaytoskatearoundme.
Sothereshewas,wateringtheyard,makingmefeellikeajerk,andI’dhadenoughofit.Iwentupto
herandsaid,“It’slookingrealgood,Juli.Nicejob.”
“Thanks,”shesaidwithoutsmiling.“Chetdidmostofit.”
Chet?Ithought.Chet?Whatwasshedoing,callingmygrandfatherbyhisfirstname?“Look,Juli,”I
said,tryingtogetonwithwhyIwasthere.“I’msorryforwhatIdid.”
Shelookedatmeforasecond,thenwentbacktowatchingthewatersprayacrossthedirt.Finallyshe
said,“Istilldon’tgetit,Bryce.Whydidn’tyoujusttellme?”
“I … I don’t know. It was dumb. I should have. And I shouldn’t have said anything about the yard,
either.Itwas,youknow,outofline.”
Iwasalreadyfeelingbetter.Alotbetter.ThenJulisays,“Well,maybeit’sallforthebetter,”andstarts
bouncingup and downon the balls ofher feet,actingmore like her old self. “Doesn’tit look great?I